Doctors say strike to go on until demands are met

Doctors in Nairobi have said they will continue with their strike unless  their grievances are met by both the Nairobi Metropolitan Service and County Government of Nairobi.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners , Pharmacists  and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has said they will only resume their duties If the Nairobi County Public Service Board (CPSB) and NMS  give a waiver on promotions and provide a comprehensive insurance cover to doctors under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) .

The strike will enter day five on Tuesday  but the union is ready to call off the strike  only when the above grievances are met.

They  downed their tools last week on Friday protesting poor terms of service.

Speaking on Monday during a consultative meeting at the  County Assembly , KMPDU Nairobi Branch Secretary General Thuranira Kuagira said the go slow was having a negative impact in the county's health sector but the solution can onky be given by the two entities.

"Even now as we are speaking we are ready to call off the strike but our plight must be addressed . Unless doctors are covered by insurance and and a waiver issued on promotions then the strike will go on, " he said.

Representing the Badi lead team, NMS Deputy Director General Robinson Thuku revealed that the officials had already started engaging the  NHIF on the comprehensive medical cover issue and pledged to be sorted in the next 10 days.

"We have already received a proposal fron NHIF and our human resource department is looking into what is required. This is work in progress," he said.

Wading into the deliberations , CPSB Acting  chairman  Thomas Kasoa said a letter will be addressed to the  Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding waiver on promotions.

Showing goodwill, he highlighted that early in January the board promoted 100 doctors and pledged to clear the remaining 220.

"The remaining 220 will be prompted only through  a competitive process as  as they need to progress through the established cadres," Kasoa said.

NMS said they will act on the issues on promotion once  the CPSB sends the payroll of the doctors affected.

The union highlighted eight issues which they said prompted them to down their tools.

Among the issues is the  220 doctors who have not been promoted.

In January, the county promoted 6720 county workers ,with 2554 from the health sector.

Among those promoted in the health sector were 100 doctors.

" What we want are rightful promotions and not only for a certain cadre. Let people be promoted equally depending on their paper," said Thuranira .

The union also revealed the plight of five specialists at Mama Lucy Hospital who have not been paid for the last 26 months.

Acting County Secretary Justus Kathenge said investigations are being conducted to establish how the specialists came to the county.

Thuranira stated that the DCI had cleared the specialists and  despite writing to the county board on the issue, nothing has been addressed.

"DCI cleared the doctors an year ago and I have written four letters to the county in the issue but still no response,"he said.

However, Majority leader Abdi Hassan Guyo urged that they wait for the genuine letters from DCI for action to be taken.

"The issues will be sorted once contents of the letters clearing the specialists are availed and comfirmed," he said.

He further  assured the union that the assembly will assist them with matters pertaining to the budget.

The officials had met at the Nairobi County Assembly chambers where they deliberated on issues affecting the union.

It was attended by a section of  MCAs, officials from the county executive, NMS,  County board members and KMPDU officials.

Another  meeting is set to be held on Tuesday between NMS , the County Executive and the union .